Some great birds in Hampshire of late.

Thursday 23rd March 2023.

This superb photo of a male Merlin at Blackgutter Bottom today. Photo by Pete Appleton.

The weather has been rather grim over the past few days with squally showers and blustery winds and therefore, no birding for me at all. On Wednesday night, I put the moth box on and was rewarded with just one moth! A Light Brown Apple Moth was sitting comfortably on one of the egg trays within the moth box, but nothing else in or around the box.

This Light Brown Apple Moth was the only moth in my box earlier this week.

There seems to be no letting up with the Alpine Swift sightings in the UK, though the vast majority seem to be in the north of the UK and no sightings in Hampshire still, which is disappointing. A record 50+ sightings of this species this week, apparently. A male Lesser Kestrel was found on St. Marys, on the Scilly Isles today, which will no doubt have a lot of ‘twitchers’ scrambling. I remember twitching one at Minsmere many years ago and bloody well ‘dipped’, despite being there for several days. That's ‘twitching’ for you!

Above, the female Surf Scoter off Pennington Marshes last weekend. Photo by Emma Parkes. Below, some film footage of the same bird by Andy Friend.

A few more migrants have been noted and in Hampshire, a White Wagtail was found at Hook-with-Warsash, a Willow Warbler at Blashford Lakes and good numbers of Sand Martin at both Titchfield Haven and Lower Test Marshes plus a Hobby reported just outside Hampshire, in Ferndown. I have been rumbling through the Lazee Birder Whatsapp and picked off a few superb photos from the guys. Enjoy.

Above, this cracking male Brambling near the Blashford Lakes Centre today. Photo by Pete Appleton.

From top to bottom: female Marsh Harrier x 2; a pair of female Goldeneye. Both species seen at Blashford Lakes today. Photos by Andy Tew.